Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: paullus99

This is fascinating - a really good look at how bloody the first few months of the war can really be.

I agree with paullus99 - a really epic struggle is taking place.

Jeff's daughter graduated college over the weekend so he was probably a bit busy yesterday, meaning I don't yet have the turn file. Itching to see what happened and where things end up, as well as the amount of damage to ships.

I'm toying with some ideas. By tracing the red lines of the Nettie strikes from a screenshot of the previous day's attacks at Tandjoengbalai. I've pretty much realised they came from Victoria Point. The difficulty with this is that it's going to be hard to bomb or bombard that base if I'd like to engineer a breakout with any damaged ships from Singers into the Indian Ocean. I will get Perth and company out at least. They'll flank into safety next turn.

Other ships may only be moving 5 hexes a cycle and that means I'd need to get them to air cover in step 1 along the Sumatra or Malay coast. Then in step 2 I'd have to get them to the Sabang area under CAP or just after hitting Victoria Point.

I could send a flank run RN TF to hit Victoria Point, but if there are other bombers based at Georgetown or Alor Star those ships would still be vulnerable. Plus a flank run doesn't always bombard before air strikes fly!!! [;)]

Interesting problem. Not insurmountable though. I could use the ships escaping to bombard as well. They could get to Tanjoe on Sumatra under a CAP, then hit Georgetown and/or Alor Star, then break for Sabang. Possibly a simultaneous bombardment at Victoria Point could come from afar. I do also have Hermes coming loaded with Wildcats, so can in 12-15 turns provide some CAP, but that's a bit risky too.

The next turn will be interesting. I'm curious to see the damage on the ships that were hit.

ORIGINAL: dave sindel

ORIGINAL: paullus99

This is fascinating - a really good look at how bloody the first few months of the war can really be.

I agree with paullus99 - a really epic struggle is taking place.

I'm curious to see how much more industrial and naval damage I can do while the few bases left in the DEI hold out. Then it's on to the defensive for a bit. I've been preparing OZ especially over the first months and I'll keep sending fighters there in favour of India.

The epic struggle is just beginning! [:)]

I've been preparing OZ especially over the first months and I'll keep sending fighters there in favour of India.

Yeah, that decision where to send the troops is crucial.

ORIGINAL: Encircled

I've been preparing OZ especially over the first months and I'll keep sending fighters there in favour of India.

Yeah, that decision where to send the troops is crucial.

The troops part isn't actually as crucial to me yet. Once I know more about his ability and interest to try next level invasions it might be more critical. I'm more interested in making VP harvesting in OZ by strat bombing difficult. With this in mind a lot of units usually sent to India will go here.

Right now I'm playing to hold critical areas by collapsing all forces and concentrating them in the rear, beyond the LODs on each continent (aside from CON US where they are forward and massed in the key industrial centres).

India is Karachi and Bombay. All troops will sit there and build forts until those bases are known to be safe. Calcutta is up for grabs. If he wants it it's his. I'll get to level 8 first before moving anything out in those two major cities and also build up the islands at Socotra and Diego if possible. Ceylon will not be defended.

I will try a last stand at Lashio and Myiktkyina to stall advances into the mountains, and will do anything to hold Paoshan and Tsuyang. China will be the usual grind, I'm sure, slowly losing as supply dwindles.

In OZ I'll try to make it tougher to get Perth and Western OZ, but only if it looks possible to stall based on fort levels and what he's bringing. If he goes all-in we'll pull back.

I don't know what to expect from Jeff (lowpe) as his games so far have been pick-ups. So he hasn't had the luxury of planning a strategic goal fro Japan from day 1 before now. I'm curious based on his knowledge of late war to see what he will do.

Fighters wont really help you defend against strat bombing in OZ. Your pools are too shallow and air frames too poor. Send US AA units there ASAP. Buy them out if needed. You get some OZ AA units but they wont arrive until April/May so unless you send US AA there you won´t have any at all!

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Encircled

I've been preparing OZ especially over the first months and I'll keep sending fighters there in favour of India.

Yeah, that decision where to send the troops is crucial.

The troops part isn't actually as crucial to me yet. Once I know more about his ability and interest to try next level invasions it might be more critical. I'm more interested in making VP harvesting in OZ by strat bombing difficult. With this in mind a lot of units usually sent to India will go here.

Right now I'm playing to hold critical areas by collapsing all forces and concentrating them in the rear, beyond the LODs on each continent (aside from CON US where they are forward and massed in the key industrial centres).

India is Karachi and Bombay. All troops will sit there and build forts until those bases are known to be safe. Calcutta is up for grabs. If he wants it it's his. I'll get to level 8 first before moving anything out in those two major cities and also build up the islands at Socotra and Diego if possible. Ceylon will not be defended.

I will try a last stand at Lashio and Myiktkyina to stall advances into the mountains, and will do anything to hold Paoshan and Tsuyang. China will be the usual grind, I'm sure, slowly losing as supply dwindles.

In OZ I'll try to make it tougher to get Perth and Western OZ, but only if it looks possible to stall based on fort levels and what he's bringing. If he goes all-in we'll pull back.

I don't know what to expect from Jeff (lowpe) as his games so far have been pick-ups. So he hasn't had the luxury of planning a strategic goal fro Japan from day 1 before now. I'm curious based on his knowledge of late war to see what he will do.

Curious as to why you will not defend Ceylon, do you perceive it as a place where LCUs get trapped and destroyed?

ORIGINAL: Skyros

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Encircled



Yeah, that decision where to send the troops is crucial.

The troops part isn't actually as crucial to me yet. Once I know more about his ability and interest to try next level invasions it might be more critical. I'm more interested in making VP harvesting in OZ by strat bombing difficult. With this in mind a lot of units usually sent to India will go here.

Right now I'm playing to hold critical areas by collapsing all forces and concentrating them in the rear, beyond the LODs on each continent (aside from CON US where they are forward and massed in the key industrial centres).

India is Karachi and Bombay. All troops will sit there and build forts until those bases are known to be safe. Calcutta is up for grabs. If he wants it it's his. I'll get to level 8 first before moving anything out in those two major cities and also build up the islands at Socotra and Diego if possible. Ceylon will not be defended.

I will try a last stand at Lashio and Myiktkyina to stall advances into the mountains, and will do anything to hold Paoshan and Tsuyang. China will be the usual grind, I'm sure, slowly losing as supply dwindles.

In OZ I'll try to make it tougher to get Perth and Western OZ, but only if it looks possible to stall based on fort levels and what he's bringing. If he goes all-in we'll pull back.

I don't know what to expect from Jeff (lowpe) as his games so far have been pick-ups. So he hasn't had the luxury of planning a strategic goal fro Japan from day 1 before now. I'm curious based on his knowledge of late war to see what he will do.

Curious as to why you will not defend Ceylon, do you perceive it as a place where LCUs get trapped and destroyed?

Yep.

Allied troops aren't good enough at this stage to defend anything in India outside a few bases. Even Madras is too far forward, although it sucks when it's taken as so many troops arrive there.

Ceylon is a death trap for anything good enough (Brit or Aussie divisions) to defend it.

Got the turn file back.

Houston is still in decent shape, luckily. Chester is struggling after another bomb hit while in shipyards. She might be the last to be able to leave Singers if I can engineer a breakout of some of the ships.

No sign of any shipping up North. He either ran Tone into Paramishiro and disbanded, which is risky and would't usually work at the end of ops points for the day after such a long run. At least it hasn't for me!

So ... I think Tone is still in the Aleutians, as are several xAKE and other escorts. Tomorrow I'll move that way.

Do you feel like the Germans did breaking out of Brest and thought he Channel?

Right now I'm playing to hold critical areas by collapsing all forces and concentrating them in the rear, beyond the LODs on each continent (aside from CON US where they are forward and massed in the key industrial centres).

India is Karachi and Bombay. All troops will sit there and build forts until those bases are known to be safe. Calcutta is up for grabs. If he wants it it's his. I'll get to level 8 first before moving anything out in those two major cities and also build up the islands at Socotra and Diego if possible. Ceylon will not be defended.

I will try a last stand at Lashio and Myiktkyina to stall advances into the mountains, and will do anything to hold Paoshan and Tsuyang. China will be the usual grind, I'm sure, slowly losing as supply dwindles.

In OZ I'll try to make it tougher to get Perth and Western OZ, but only if it looks possible to stall based on fort levels and what he's bringing. If he goes all-in we'll pull back.

Essentially what I did in my current game, but my opponent landed in Oz really early and I poured reinforcements in.

I wouldn't try to hold Western Oz, it just drains troops from the Sydney/Melbourne axis.

ORIGINAL: Encircled

Right now I'm playing to hold critical areas by collapsing all forces and concentrating them in the rear, beyond the LODs on each continent (aside from CON US where they are forward and massed in the key industrial centres).

India is Karachi and Bombay. All troops will sit there and build forts until those bases are known to be safe. Calcutta is up for grabs. If he wants it it's his. I'll get to level 8 first before moving anything out in those two major cities and also build up the islands at Socotra and Diego if possible. Ceylon will not be defended.

I will try a last stand at Lashio and Myiktkyina to stall advances into the mountains, and will do anything to hold Paoshan and Tsuyang. China will be the usual grind, I'm sure, slowly losing as supply dwindles.

In OZ I'll try to make it tougher to get Perth and Western OZ, but only if it looks possible to stall based on fort levels and what he's bringing. If he goes all-in we'll pull back.

Essentially what I did in my current game, but my opponent landed in Oz really early and I poured reinforcements in.

I wouldn't try to hold Western Oz, it just drains troops from the Sydney/Melbourne axis.

I hear you. i really doubt he'll cross the LOD on any continent. I think he's seen the effects of reinforcements coming in, especially airframe numbers and quality. I could REALLY use a few groups worth of Spit VIII in late 42, so if he's interested, go for it. I'm holding and building Kalgoorlie and all escape hatch base so if he comes on both coasts everything will just rail back and hold up in Sydney. The Americal and other USA units will be down there too.

I've got a slightly forward placement of troops in So Pac now, the goal of which is to delay any move farther into Noumea, Fiji, NZ or OZ. Now he could just bypass, but that would create some opportunities to raid the LOC too. So I think he'll likely take what's on offer and not go all-in somewhere with the kind of destruction we've been looking at so far. Or maybe he'll try to push to AV considering the extra points for CV losses. Can't rule that out, it's just tough to achieve.

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Do you feel like the Germans did breaking out of Brest and thought he Channel?

Well, not quite as I'm really looking at how to get through a web of Netties, not hundreds of surface ships, at least on that side. Luckily there are two approaches to Singers. Makes me think I could almost engineer some supply coming in too if I'd thought of that before, sending in xAKs during the turns when I send cruisers out.

I've just catched up. That's impressive defence.

I wonder though where did you get enough aviation support for that? There isn't enough even for Dutch alone.

ORIGINAL: szmike

I've just catched up. That's impressive defence.

I wonder though where did you get enough aviation support for that? There isn't enough even for Dutch alone.

That's a good question. [:)]

Actually, there is quite a lot of Dutch aviation support spread around, but, you're right, not enough concentrated. Also, if you're adding 4Es that is a lot more support needed.

I managed to get almost ALL of the Malayan units back to Singers. First time I've done that. So a few have been flown out to use on Java and filled out with more support squads. Also, I bought some of the bigger US base forces from the PI and flew them down to service some of the 4E bases. Some of these guys actually did fly out of Clark and Manila in the war to base on Mindanao and other areas, and 4Es were used for all kinds of work in these early days.

If some of the Dutch bases are still operational by 2/42 I'll start to get Hurri IIb and the following month some P-40E for the Dutch. There are some decent pilots, so 2-3 groups could be fairly decent until 4/42 when Tojos start flooding the scene. That's when it's time to pack up and go home! [;)]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Fighters wont really help you defend against strat bombing in OZ. Your pools are too shallow and air frames too poor. Send US AA units there ASAP. Buy them out if needed. You get some OZ AA units but they wont arrive until April/May so unless you send US AA there you won´t have any at all!

Just saw this. Thanks Jocke!

You're absolutely right, and I've been only considering if those are KB raids or long range attacks from Northern OZ. More AA helps against both and also mitigates the difficulties of him moving into Tojo range and sweeping our poor Kittyhawls away.

I've got a few coming this way, and again, anything arriving from Cape Town and even Aden will most likely try to get to OZ. Enough arrives in India to hold what I need to hold early.

They're not expensive, so I'll buy a few and start the journey i the next week or two. So if in a month he starts to get interested in that area they'll be getting close to Sydney already.

Here is a big map. i've been debating with myself about whether to risk a bombardment of Palembang or not. It looks like both of the big BB TFs in the area are moving away from the scene, and the port seems to be defended by a few ASW ships.

Balikpapan has a few damaged ships still sitting in the hex, but not in port. There is another BB TF there along with a bunch of other stuff.

Subs gather at the choke points and some trail the KB, trying to stay in touch.

I've decided to bring the P-38s back to Singers and hold tight, keep the CLs in the next to defend and try to repair the CAs a bit more.

Here are the air losses from the last turn. We did okay. Although the hits did some damage.

Chester was hit in the shipyard and now has 68 service with 32 float damage. That'll need some work. The rest aren't too bad, still able to move 6-7 hexes a phase and no more than 45 system damage. I need about a week do reprieve to get everything ready, but doubt that'll happen.

The P-40Bs are dwindling, so I've upgraded to P-39Ds. The speed and guns will do well in the low CAP bomber killer role, and these are pretty tough planes to survive sweeps if the top layers are able to dive fast, like the P-38s. I need the Hurris to get in here quick!

Here is a big map. i've been debating with myself about whether to risk a bombardment of Palembang or not. It looks like both of the big BB TFs in the area are moving away from the scene, and the port seems to be defended by a few ASW ships.

On the other hand, there are Japanese airbases in the area. What are your escape routes?

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Here is a big map. i've been debating with myself about whether to risk a bombardment of Palembang or not. It looks like both of the big BB TFs in the area are moving away from the scene, and the port seems to be defended by a few ASW ships.

On the other hand, there are Japanese airbases in the area. What are your escape routes?

Yes. If I were to close Palembang again, and hit some of the 50-60 A6M2 based there, it would open a LOT of opportunities.

Have the turn now and interestingly he did move the big TF that was near Java back to Palembang. So that would have been a bad option last turn as we would have likely bombarded, then been possibly caught with low ammo and minced.

As it is ... [:)]